Chizue's Infinite Tsukuyomi
by DruidaDecidesToWrite
Summary: The Infinite Tsukuyomi is supposed to keep a person in their ideal world-yet Chizue feels like she doesn't belong. She doesn't remember dating Tenten, or her parents moving to the Leaf. This takes place after the Chizue and Shino Romance Arc. I recommend reading that first :)


Chizue had worriedly bid Shino farewell as he returned to battle. Having saved her and left her in the safety of the medical camp he had had to return to his duties with the Allied Shinobi Forces. He had left a few of his beetles with her for his own peace of mind. Chizue spent most of her time napping in a drug-induced state of semi-consciousness.

A frantic buzzing in her ear suddenly brought her back to the realm of the living. She blinked and tried to make sense of the haze and blurs around her. The buzzing continued and a few beetles swam into view- hovering in front of her face. She tried to wake herself up more as she focused on Shino's beetles. Why were they flying? What did they want? Was something wrong?

"Shino… SHINO!" She slowly came to the conclusion that something was wrong and that it had to do with Shino. She yelled coarsely- the sound of her own voice startling her. Without thinking she tried to sit up. She collapsed backwards onto the bed as pain coursed through her body. She screamed through it briefly- only to realize that she wasn't the only one screaming. Yells could be heard ricocheting through camp as the moon reflected the Infinite Tsukuyomi. Chizue's tent flap briefly blew open and she caught sight of the moon. Her blood ran cold and then slipped into unconsciousness.

Chizue's eyes fluttered open and blinked in the bright sunlight. She laid there for a moment enjoying her warm bed and the steady breath of the person besides her. Chizue suddenly jumped out of bed and grabbed a kunai off her nightstand. She instinctively winced- vaguely remembering the pain from the war. She grasped at her side breathing heavily as she processed the sudden change. There should not have been someone else in her bed and she remembered being in excruciating pain- and buzzing- why did she remember buzzing?

The figure on the bed stirred, a lithe woman sat up, brown hair tumbling loosely down her back, "Zue? What's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?"

The woman turned and Chizue dropped her knife, "Ten...Ten? What? Why are you here?"

Her head suddenly pounded like she had stumbled upon something she shouldn't have. She collapsed to the floor with a hand pressed against her forehead. Tenten rushed over and Chizue pushed her away, "Somethings not right- I feel like I don't belong."

Tenten sat back on her heels, her hair falling around her shoulders, "Chizue- You've been having nightmares since Pain's attack. Saving the Aburame's? The village has never been more accepting- Neji and Lee don't even give me shit for staying over. Please let me help you."

Chizue looked at her friend. It was true that Tenten had always been there for her. Her memories lined up with that fact. However, she didn't remember the past few nights- had Tenten really been staying over? And why was she in the bed and not on the couch? She had never stayed the night that Chizue could remember. That determined, Tenten was a safe space for Chizue. She flopped over and onto Tenten's lap and cried- though she wasn't sure why.

Tenten laid her arms around Chizue and pulled her closer. She bent over and rested her head against Chizue's. Her voice was filled with concern and love, "Zue- let's go see Sakura and see if there's something we can do to help you sleep better."

Chizue nodded- she remember Sakura had helped her before- it was faint though. She allowed Tenten to help her to her feet. Once she was standing it suddenly dawned on her that she was wearing just a black silk slip. She quickly blushed and turned to her dresser. She grabbed her clothing and turned to go to the bathroom to find Tenten completely undressed. She gasped slightly and stood in shock.

"Hey, Zue have you seen my bra? Oh never mind, here it is." Tenten said and then turned around to pick it up from near the bed, she looked up and caught the look on Chizue's face and giggled, "Zue what's with the face? You've seen me this way before."

The naked Tenten jumped over the bed and landed in front of Chizue. She gently touched Chizue's face, "Hey, I know you had a bad dream-but I'd still like to kiss you good morning."

Chizue's face flushed and her heart pounded- this is something she had thought about for months. She nodded slightly and closed her eyes a bit as Tenten moved forward. The girl's lips were soft, warm, and a bit full. Chizue enjoyed the kiss but she couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. To Tenten, nothing seemed wrong and she broke the kiss with a wink and skipped back to her clothes to get dressed. Chizue stood rooted for several seconds before shuffling to the bathroom to complete her morning routine.

She emerged to see Tenten pulling on her shoes. Tenten smiled and stood, "Ready to go?"

Chizue nodded, slipped on her shoes and followed Tenten out the door and onto the streets of the village. Tenten held her hand as they walked down the street. Vendors smiled at them and they ran into a few friends. They were halfway to the hospital when Lee landed in front of them with Neji. Chizue half let go of Tenten's hand, thinking "Well she is Neji's…" but her head hurt again so she just smiled and chatted.

Lee smiled boldly, "I"m so glad you are out and about! I told you no one would say anything about you two dating!"

A few heads turned, saw the boisterous young ninja, and turned away. Chizue was hung-up on this revelation. Of course, Tenten was acting like they were a couple- but she couldn't shake the feeling reality was skewed. She smiled vaguely and was glad when they were done. Tenten had pulled her further down the block when a green hooded figure bumped into Chizue. She froze and turned to see shaded eyes and brown hair. Her heart skipped a beat and then sunk like a rock.

"Oh hello Shino! How are you?" Tenten cheerfully greeted him. Chizue tried to smile weakly in greeting.

"Hello, I'm fine. Chizue are you all right? You look pale." Shino almost ignored Tenten. His voice held barely masked concern for Chizue's well being.

"Huh? oh . yes. I just didn't sleep well." Chizue gave a half-smile to Shino- her heart still didn't seem to be working right.

Shino put on a small smile, "Real-really Tenten should let you sleep more."

The joke fell flat to him and Chizue- yet Tenten giggled in a thoroughly not innocent way. Before the girls could answer a yell interrupted them as Lee reappeared with some form of information for Tenten. She squeezed Chizue's hand before letting go and retreating to a rooftop to talk privately with Lee. Chizue found herself in the awkward situation of facing her friend and emotions.

"You haven't told her, have you?" Shino stared into Chizue's eyes.

"What? What do you mean? What was I supposed to tell her?" Chizue was thoroughly confused. She couldn't think of what she would've needed to tell Tenten.

"You promised me yesterday that you would Tenten about your kekkei genkai." He eyed her curiously- it wasn't like her to break a promise.

"Wh-what? Why would I tell her? I didn't mean to tell you." Chizue's face was pale She had never meant for the leaf to find out. Shino only had due to Pain's attack.

Shino eyed her carefully and then spoke softly, "Chizue. You're not acting like yourself. What's going on?"

"I..I'm not sure- I woke up and didn't know why I was home, or why Tenten was there. It's like I'm not part of this reality." Her voice was soft and broken- only Shino could hear her.

Shino considered this, "I suppose she talked you into seeing Sakura already? It's good if she did. I think some sleep might be good for you."

Chizue's heart sunk, no one seemed to be listening to her. She sensed Tenten land to her side. She felt a hand grasp hers and briefly thought it was Shino's before her head ached again and she realized it was Tenten. She said nothing as Tenten excused them and pulled her toward the hospital.

Chizue let Tenten lead her to the hospital, then into an exam room, and tell Sakura what had happened. Sakura hmmed and examined Chizue. She took her temp, looked her over, and determined it was just emotional distress. She gave her some sleep aides and sent them on their way.

Tenten insisted Chizue spend the day resting on the couch. Chizue grouched but resigned herself to staring at the back of the couch from under a blanket. A knock on the door broke her constant, internal repetition of anxiety.

She got up to answer it, and surprise sent her reeling. Her mother bustled past her with a grocery bag. Chizue just stood there with the door open and watching her mother setting out take-out containers.

"Chizue, shut the door before the smell of food attracts that blonde fellow." Her mother laughed lightly at her drag on Naruto.

Chizue slowly shut the door and inched her way over to her mom. She waited until her mother had paused in her dinner preparations and threw her arms around her.

"I'm so glad you came- why didn't you send word? I would've cleaned up the place a bit more- you must be so tired from your journey. I've had just the worst day and this is the best surprise!" Chizue hugged her mother tightly and cried as the older woman awkwardly patted her back.

"Sweetheart it's just a few blocks- I'm not that old yet. What has gotten into you? Tenten stopped by and asked that I keep you company for the evening until she got back. You really did find a fantastic girlfriend." Mi hmmmed and gently pushed her daughter away and into a chair at the table.

Chizue sat confused, "Mother it's a long journey here from the Hidden Sand. And those food stores are halfway to the other side of town?"

Mi froze, "Chizue what are you talking about? Your father and I moved here months ago to be closer to you. Tenten said you'd had a day. Besides- I made all this food- living near Naruto means lots of food."

"Oh… I don't remember that…" Chizue rested her head on the table and closed her eyes. She desperately wanted to know why her memories were skewed. Before she could eat she fell asleep with her head on the table and her mother sitting next to her.

Chizue woke to the gentle sound of voices and chopsticks clinking. She opened her eyes sleepily to see Tenten and Mi eating.

"Mi, I just wish there was something I could do to help her adjust. This was the first bad day she's had in a while. We've been dating for two months and I still feel like she's hiding something and that I can't do anything to help her." Tenten sounded crushed.

Mi reached over and patted her hand, "She's had a hard go of it. I'm sure you know her genin team didn't even like her… She'll.."

Chizue sat up and interrupted, "Mother stop," she sighed, "I'm sorry Tenten. I'm not sure why I don't feel like myself, but I am sure I need to tell you something. Shino swore the Aburame's wouldn't tell- I used a kekkei genkai to save them."

Chizue held out her right hand in a fist and held two fingers up to her chest and focused. Three needles made of ice emerged and she let them fall to the table. Tenten's eyes went wide and then softened. She stood and walked around the table. Chizue assumed Tenten was walking away and set her head in her hands. Two gentle hands turned Chizue to the side, lowered her hands and touched her face. Soft lips once again touched Chizue's briefly before a forehead met hers.

Tenten's soft voice cut through the internal crushing feeling Chizue had, "I've loved you for months and I'm not going to stop because you're related to Jack Frost."

Chizue's heart stopped. This made her unbelievably happy- yet something was amiss. She didn't want to let Tenten down. Her voice came out choked, "I love you too."

Later that night Chizue laid in bed next to a softly snoring Tenten. She couldn't get rid of the feeling that she didn't love Tenten romantically. Sure she had enjoyed her presence, her kisses, her hand. But she felt like she was fooling Tenten. She slipped silently out of bed, slipped on her dress and shoes and left the apartment. She wandered the quiet nighttime streets of the village. A sudden buzzing surprised her, it triggered a strong memory of love and panic but she couldn't figure out why. She collapsed in a panic attack- vaguely surprised that pain didn't course through her. Shino found her within seconds.

He recalled his beetles and knelt down, "Chizue? Why are you out here?"

Chizue froze at his voice, why was she out here? She looked up, "I…Sorry Shino. The buzzing reminded me of something."

She fought to get herself under control, she was still shaking but allowed him to help her to her feet. Shino lead her over to a bench, "Sorry I was on patrol- they were keeping an eye on you while alerting me you were out. They didn't mean to scare you."

Chizue sighed and rubbed her head, "They didn't scare me at all actually, I must've forgotten what they sound like."

Shino watched her for a moment, "You told her didn't you- how did it go?"

Chizue stared at the bricks below them, "Yes. She told me she loves me and… I guess I just didn't expect it. My brain's been so foggy that I don't even remember when we started going out. I thought she was with Neji."

Shino tilted his head, "Well she was for awhile but they broke up a few months before you two started dating. I don't know where your memory went- but you were extremely happy. You'd been crushing on her for so long that you didn't stop smiling for days after your first date."

Chizue felt a small smile creep onto her face- that did sound like her, "Shino- will you do me a favor and fill in the rest of my missing memories? Tenten deserves someone who remembers."

Shino's face was unreadable in the dark, "Sure but I am on patrol so you'll have to go with me," He helped her to her feet and they took off, "Tenten asked you out after a training session. You went to the tea shop. You told me that after the tea shop you went for a walk and then hung out at your place. The tea shop became a regular spot for you two. She likes to bring you flowers and you've given her a few obscure versions of ninja weapons. You've been dating for three months- and recently she's basically moved in. For a while, it really helped with your nightmares. You guys started being more open about it a month ago. Neji and her ended on good terms so he's completely supportive."

Chizue listened intently, little realizing he was leading her home. She stopped beside him, surprised to be outside her bedroom window. She looked in the window and watched Tenten sleeping- wanting nothing more than to go in and collapse next to her girlfriend. She sighed, Shino's recalling of their history had sunk into her mind. She didn't realize that the Tsukuyomi had sunk into her brain.

She rested a hand on Shino's shoulder, "Thank you. I'm starting to remember more. And-Thank you for bringing me home. I'll see you around."

She felt more like herself and jumped onto the roof before going around to the front of the building to enter her apartment through the door. She entered silently, kicked off her shoes, and slipped her dress off as she tiptoed to bed. In her nightdress, she slid under the covers to join Tenten.

Tenten sighed, "So how was your walk?"

Chizue chuckled and pulled Tenten close, "I remembered what I forgot. I love you too."

The two girls sighed and fell asleep with Chizue holding Tenten.

When Chizue woke she felt herself falling. She blinked and tried to make catch herself. Despite landing on her medical cot, Chizue felt her whole body shake and pain coursed through her. She threw up and collapsed onto the floor. Pain continued to wrack her body as the fall re-injured those organs that had not healed. She sobbed and tried to move to look for help. Her arm slipped under her and she collapsed in pain and lost consciousness.


End file.
